Tekken 7: Blood Feud

by Mr History 94

My version of the Tekken comic from Titan Comics and Tekken 7. This story will be a little different and will delve into Tekken 7. The beginning will be similar to the Tekken comic, but I plan on doing something original with it. The rest of the story will be original. And of course, more characters will be included, not just the Mishimas. All rights belong to Bandai Namco.

44. Our Future Beyond All Hardships

TEKKEN: BLOOD FEUD

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Chapter 44: Our Future Beyond All Hardships

One hour later, down in the crater of Puʻu ʻŌʻō, Hawaiian Islands

Minute by minute, Kazuya and Heihachi had taken turns in punching each other like test dummies. Still, neither Mishima showed any signs of giving up. Being battered, bruised and bloodied, both son and father had entered the final stage of their deadly duel. They had completely wasted their powers and could feel their energies vane.

With one punch Kazuya landed onto Heihachi's face, the old man responded with one to his chest. As such, they continued this tit-for-tat, striving to outlast the other. In the meantime, they exchanged insults while spitting out blood from their mouths.

"Heh…...your punches are getting weaker…" Heihachi ridiculed his son after taking a hit.

"Shut up and die, you son of a bitch!" Kazuya roared, only for his father to hit his face.

As punches were flying, both Mishimas could notice their bodies weakening. They were too tired to continue fighting. This only confirmed the two men about how the duel's end was near. They could not afford to waste their breaths.

After standing still for a moment, Kazuya gained enough energy to land an attack upon Heihachi's chest. He was specifically aiming for his heart. Hopefully, the impact would make the heartbeat stop. The moment Kazuya's fist hit Heihachi's chest, his father stopped moving. A feeling of satisfaction grew upon Kazuya's face.

"At last…." he murmured, forming a sadistic grin in the process. "Give my regards to hell!" Kazuya spat, feeling like he had won the duel.

But so far, Heihachi had remained standstill, not moving a muscle. The old man was still facing the ground as if he was about to fall upon it. That only made Kazuya more suspicious. Unbeknownst to him, Heihachi was only fooling Kazuya.

The Mishima Patriarch slowly moved his head, and Kazuya see a cunning smirk on it. This only confirmed what he suspected. Even so, Kazuya was too late to react. Raising his head in the air, Heihachi delivered a powerful headbutt upon Kazuya, thus sending him away. Clearly, that had been his plan all along. Yet Heihachi felt his becoming even more maxed up than before.

"Damnit…...my powers are fading away by the minute…I won't last long….." the old man cursed, barely possessing enough strength to stand on his feet.

Kazuya was still standing, yet Heihachi's headbutt had managed to put some damage upon his face. He was this close to falling onto his knees. Stubbornly, he resisted the pain and faced his father across the space between them.

"Bastard…...how long does it take before you fall!?" Kazuya frustratingly wondered, coughing out some chunks of blood in the process. He panted deeply, realizing how this was slowly taking a toll on his body.

For some reason, the atmosphere around the two Mishimas had eased up. Any signs of volcanic activity could not be seen. At the same time, a wind blew above them, thus adding to the silence that existed between them.

As both father and son stood and glared at one another, Heihachi broke the silence by speaking to his opponent.

"I still don't understand it…" Heihachi uttered, taking breaks between his words. "I still don't understand why we are even fighting…" the Mishima Patriarch added.

Kazuya spat on the solid ground. "Don't get sentimental with me. I'm fighting you because you killed…" his words were interrupted by Heihachi's voice.

"You fool! Have you not learned anything!?" he spat at Kazuya, who remained silent. "I know you eavesdropped on my conversation with that meddling cop Lei Wulong. You heard everything that came out of my mouth! So I ask you this, Kazuya. After learning the truth…why are you still fighting me?" the old man then asked his son.

"Shut up! Why should I believe everything you said!?" Kazuya hit back.

"Because your mother was not just after my life!" Heihachi bellowed, thus shutting Kazuya down once again. "It's true. She was also after yours as well. Don't tell me you have forgotten the kind of people the Hachijo clan really were" he continued.

But Kazuya seemed to be in denial. "Lies! Mother would never do something like that! She was not an assassin!" the red-eyed man responded, getting slightly personal when saying this.

"Is that so!? Then explain how you survived being thrown off a cliff! Explain how you survived falling down a volcano! Explain how you and that brat of yours carries the Devil's blood yet I don't!" Heihachi got more serious when asking those direct questions at his son.

For some reason, Kazuya seemed to be slightly paralyzed by hearing those questions. In fact, they had slightly started to haunt his mind. And now, they were being brought up by Heihachi. The old man could see this and smirked.

"Do you see it now!? All this nonsense about us Mishimas being cursed…...is nothing but a myth! The Mishimas were never demons! Jinpachi was never cursed! Neither am I! So where do you think this curse stems from!?" Heihachi barked, still wanting his son to know everything. "That's right! It stems from the Hachijos. They were the demons! This clan of so-called oracles saw both me and you as potential dangers to the world. That's why your mother had been sent to the Mishima Dojo to assassinate me, in hopes of preventing the prophecy from coming true. But things changed. Me and Kazumi fell in love. And once you were born, how do you think the clan responded?" he started recalling back to the most painful memory of his life.

Kazuya was somewhat frozen by listening to all of this. He really felt like opening his mouth and protest, yet he couldn't. Was it perhaps he was interested in learning more from his father? Either way, Kazuya refrained from speaking.

"When you were born, you had inherited the twisted magics that the clan had inserted into Kazumi. She had been told by her clan heads to kill you as well. And the reason? They had to wash away any clues of their assassination of me. At the same time, they also realized that you could potentially become a much greater danger than I ever would if you were to roam alive unchecked" Heihachi spoke up, this time getting more personal as he mentioned his late wife. "Yet still…...Kazumi choose her damn clan over me! Over you! She forsook us for her own misbegotten family! And as she was about to carry out the assassination….I realized how I had been living a lie! My dreams of creating a family, ruling the Mishima clan…DESTROYED!" the old man then roared, feeling teary in the process.

Kazuya was surprised to see his father behave in such manner. On the other hand, this only led him wanting to ask Heihachi this particular question.

"Then why did you do all these things to me!?" Kazuya snapped, getting Heihachi's attention. "All the harsh training you put me through, let alone throwing me off a cliff! What did I do to deserve such treatment!?" he demanded some answers.

"Because I wanted you to grow up to be the perfect son I wanted!" Heihachi bellowed back, his voice getting personal once again. "Yes, you were my son, Kazuya. My pride and joy! In all my life, I dreamt of raising you to be a worthy heir of my legacy! But that idiot Jinpachi constantly tried taking that role away from me, preferring to install worthless ideals such as compassion and honor! He was never supposed to do that! Such was my destiny! I was certain that my dream of making the Mishimas conquerors again would become a reality! But then came your mother's revelation" Heihachi explained it all.

"Fuck you…." Kazuya muttered lowly. "You're a goddamn liar!" he then verbally assaulted Heihachi.

"Am I!? Pathetic nitwit! Even after being faced with the truth, you still refuse to accept it! How long does it take for you to realize that your mother never truly loved you!? Ask yourself this, son! Why didn't Kazumi ever protect you from me despite the plenty of opportunities she had!?" Heihachi demanded some answers out of him. "It's no use hiding it anymore! Deep down, you know the truth about that night! I killed your mother not just for the sake of my own survival, but for yours as well! Yet there you stand acting like all of this was my fault!? You're pathetic, Kazuya! Nothing but a hopeless disappointment who will never become a man!" his father then resorted down to more hateful words.

While Kazuya stood and listened, his mind drifted back into the past. He started to recall certain words his father had said to him, both during and outside battles. Being reminded about them only infuriated him to the fullest.

"You think you are tougher than me? Foolish boy, I will make you know your place!"

"Come back when you have started to grow a thicker spine!"

"I will snap you like a twig. And don't expect any mercy from me!"

"Your delusions of grandeur end here!"

And it wasn't just that. Kazuya was given a different vision of his father. He could see Heihachi at a younger age, back when his father was in his prime and had black hair like himself. However, that memory only reopened a terrible wound. It was the same appearance and look Heihachi had when Kazuya was thrown off the cliff.

"You killed my mother…why should I even believe you…." Kazuya uttered out those words lowly, his anger completely exposed. "And what makes you think that telling me all this….will even make me embrace you like a son!?" the black-haired man spat out.

Heihachi's expression changed into that of anger. "What!?" he uttered out those words gruffly.

"From the day you threw me off a cliff, I devoted my life to tear you into pieces. And whatever happened between you and mother…I really couldn't care anymore. Because I already know everything" Kazuya revealed, clenching his fists tightly together. "If you think you were an unfortunate victim of something terrible, then you're delusional! It's not that difficult to see it, Heihachi. You were destined to never be loved, let alone start a family. What you cared more about was obtaining power to your own selfish ends. That's why I believe that despite you lacking the power of the Devil….you're just as cursed as me and Jin. Your lust for power never dies. And that has only resulted in your humanity's death. Isn't that the truth, Heihachi!? I DARE YOU TO SAY I'M WRONG!" Kazuya continued calling out to his father.

Heihachi's felt his chest getting pierced when he heard what his son said. In fact, his vision started showing him a different person other than his son. Heihachi's weary eyes widened. All of a sudden, he saw his late wife Kazumi standing where Kazuya stood.

"Kazumi…" Heihachi's uttered the name of the woman he loved.

The look she had on her face reminded him about the very night they fought each other. It contained a beauty on the outside, but deception on the inside. Moreover, words came out of this youthful woman's lips.

"Heihachi…" Kazumi spoke softly.

Heihachi felt his entire body tense. His eyes started getting teary as he stood and listened to what his late wife was saying.

"You were never supposed to have a family. You are a Mishima. You know the clan's history. There is no room for feelings like compassion and love. You were never fit for such. The only thing you were fit to be was a warrior of hate. It's in the blood of the Mishimas. You are warriors who fight until you die. There was no way you could ever have a family life like the one you desired. Because that was what your fate was meant to be" she continued speaking.

The Mishima Patriarch stood there, his bruised and bloodied body starting to shake uncontrollably. However, his sadness was now turning into that of resentment and rage. Heihachi even clenched his fists tightly.

"Damnit all…." Heihachi sniffed, his tears still streaming from his eyes. "Why does this still happen to me!?" he was desperate searching for an answer to all of this.

He looked over to his son, who was only glaring at him in return. But Heihachi's eyes were not blind. Beneath that human body, lied a snickering devil who sadistically took pleasure in watching him suffer great losses. This only infuriated Heihachi. He knew the only solution out of this mess.

"I will end it….I WILL FUCKING END THIS NIGHTMARE!" Heihachi barked, lighting sparkle all around his right hand. The old man directed his wrathful gaze upon Kazuya. "One more powerful punch through your stomach is all I need to end your misery! So be prepared, Kazuya. Be prepared for your one-way journey to hell!" the Mishima Patriarch yelled, feeling his inner muscles tensing up.

Kazuya was responding to this in kind. His right arm with getting empowered by his own electricity. The man with the red eye knew that at this moment, it was either him or his father. One of them would emerge from this final clash alive.

"You stupid piece of shit…." Kazuya stammered, his rage on full display for Heihachi to see. "The only one who'll be sent to hell….IS YOU!" he roared at him.

Heihachi grinned, realizing how this fight between them was growing closer towards its conclusion. Both him and his opponent were even taking small steps towards each other. They each were relying upon their last gasps of strength.

"If that's how it's meant to be…" Heihachi uttered lowly before sprinting towards his son. "THEN I'M TAKING YOU TO HELL ALONG WITH ME!" the old man yelled, prepared to deliver the final blow upon his son.

Kazuya responded by running towards his father, being more than determined to actually settle the score between them once and for all. "NOT IN YOUR LIFETIME, YOU PATHETIC, GODDAMN FOOL!" he yelled back, never once stopping.

Both father and son ran towards each other. They were each screaming to their top of their lungs as they were determined to finish the other. Needless to say, it was a dramatic finish to a long and deadly feud. Then again, such were the fate of the Mishimas. They were warriors until their last breaths were drawn.

Kazuya and Heihachi didn't think of anyone else besides surviving this outcome. Not even memories of the women they each loved managed to sway their thoughts. It was only victory or death. That's why they pressed, resisting whatever pain that existed in their bodies.

Thunder struck as the impact could be felt. It was uncertain about who the victor was. Both Heihachi and Kazuya stood still, each of them having just managed to move their fists. But Heihachi's failed to reach Kazuya's stomach. At the same time, Kazuya's had managed to land on his chest area, creating a powerful impact that affected his heartbeat.

After a few moments of silence, Heihachi threw up blood while lowering his head. He felt his entire body getting weaker by the second. His vision was starting to fade away. Raising his head, he looked at his son who remained unfazed at what he just did.

"So this is it….I lost….damn…..and I…..wanted to win…." Heihachi uttered out, feeling his heart stop beating. "I hate to say this…..but you did great…Kazuya….I…am…..proud of you…." those were the final words Heihachi said before falling backwards onto his death.

Kazuya's expression remained completely unchanged. He only stood and watched as his father lied there, dead and defeated before him. After so many years, decades and training spent to defeat Heihachi, it was all becoming a reality. The same goal Kazuya had strived for since he was a child, was fulfilled. And yet, he never showed feelings like satisfaction or sadness over this.

Approaching his father's lifeless body, Kazuya kept observing it. All his life, he had wished for this very moment to happen. And now, it really did. Still, Kazuya never said a word, only watching Heihachi's corpse with an empty expression.

The observation ended when Kazuya started carrying Heihachi's body. He then began moving it towards the many cliffs of this crater. It was high above the pool of lava beneath it. While carrying his father towards the edge of the cliff, Kazuya could only listen to the voices of the past. These came from people who had played a very important part in his life.

"Remember, Kazuya. The Mishima Style Karate is not to be used for personal gain. It's to be used for defending the innocent, as well as honoring those who came before us. Such is the true way of the Mishimas" he heard the voice of his late grandfather call out to him.

"Kazuya. Remember always to show grace and kindness towards the friends you make. When you grow older, you will come to find a woman you will love, just like your father did. And who knows? You may start a family" the sweet and soothing voice of his mother came to mind, yet Kazuya quickly discarded it for some reason.

"The Devil's curse is only destroying you, Kazuya Mishima. Unless you willingly fight against it, your humanity will vanish for eternity" the voice of Angel suddenly popped into his head.

"Deluded fool! You will never rule the world! And I will make sure of that by killing you with my bare hands!" Kazuya remembered a sentence Heihachi had said to him in the past.

But among those voices, there was one that stood out the most. It came from a woman he had truly loved, yet never really confirmed it nor denied it.

"Kazuya…..please let go of your anger. Killing Heihachi will never bring you any satisfaction. I know that deep down inside, there is a part of you that wishes to find another way out" this voice didn't come from Angel. Rather, it came from a woman he had once encountered.

As Kazuya started pondering those words that woman had said to him once, he was nearing the edge of the cliff.

"You're wrong…" Kazuya said as he stood at the edge of the cliff. "This is the only way to server my connection to the past and leave it in the dust forever" he added before throwing his father's corpse off the cliff.

He was finally doing it. Kazuya watched as his father fell down into the pool of lava and vanish from his eyes. Heihachi's body sank in the lava and there was no question how it would melt it all into nothingness. At long last, the feud between them was over. Heihachi was gone forever, and Kazuya had emerged from it victorious.

But as Kazuya looked down to the pool of lava, his expression started to soften a little. "A fight is about who is left standing. Nothing else" he said, echoing the words his father had once said. Why he would repeat something Heihachi had once said, not even he could understand.

For some reason, the air in this volcanic landscape that changed dramatically. It wasn't as dangerous as before. Kazuya could even feel the winds blowing atop of his hear. Looking up, he thought about the very same woman he had loved once again.

"It's finally done. I have severed the connection to both my father and my mother. No longer will I be plagued by their history" Kazuya said, as if he was relieved. All of a sudden, a single tear fell out of his right eye. "I'm free from all this hatred. Now, I can return to you. Nothing else would satisfy me more…than to see you once again…." Kazuya was actually feeling sad.

Apparently, he had slowly begun to disregard the memories of his mother. Since learning the truth about her, as well as where his Devil Gene came from, Kazuya had started to lose all affection towards Kazumi. Instead, she had been replaced by another woman, the same woman he truly loved.

"So where are you…..where are you, Jun Kazama!?" he cried out the name of the woman, starting to long seeing her once again in his lifetime.

As Kazuya was calling out for this woman, someone had indeed been watching how Heihachi had died. Far above over the hellish crater, Kuma had watched the scene take place without even moving.

The bear felt his heart shatter when he watched his master's body disappear in the pool of lava.

"(No…..this can't….IT'S NOT POSSIBLE!)" Kuma roared out in sadness as he fell onto the solid ground sobbing. "(MAAAAAAASTEEEEEEEERRRRR!)" the bear kept crying out in agony.

Despite him being a ferocious creature, Kuma was emotionally broken. Tears even streamed out of his helmet. But as the bear kept sobbing, he failed to heed the calls of his subordinates.

"Commander Kuma! Come in! What's the current situation!?" the voice came from one of the many captains in Kuma's squadron. He didn't receive an answer, yet was still confused about all this crying. "Commander! Do you read me!? What's the situation!? We need to know about the boss' current status!" the captain still got no answer.

Kuma was too sorrowful to even respond to his subordinate. But could anyone blame him. The man who had raised and trained him since he was a cub, was now gone forever. Kuma also knew very well that his father, who bore the same name, had been trained by Heihachi as well. But the man who had treated them as an equal their entire lives…was dead.

---

At the same time above the crater…

Things had gone dramatic at the edge of Puʻu ʻŌʻō. Revenant and his allies had appeared before the large gathering, challenging everyone foolishly brave enough to confront him. Unleashing his deadly powers, Revenant had succeeded in overwhelming everyone. Well, almost everyone. Only man stood out when it came to resisting his evil energy.

Standing ready amidst the fallen fighters was Wang Jinrei, the venerated master from China. He had partaken this trip to Hawaii in hopes of stopping Kazuya and Heihachi from slaying each other. But the arrival of Revenant changed his mind. Realizing that he could perhaps not save the Mishimas, he could perhaps prevent a deranged madman like Revenant from eliminating either Kazuya nor Heihachi.

And with all fighters down, Wang saw himself as his opportunity to oppose the cultist. He had also managed to display a power that was unlike anything seen on a man like him. Wang's formerly frail body become more muscled and toned than usual, yet his still retained his elderly appearance.

Lei was stunned to what he was seeing. There was a golden aura forming all around Wang. In the many times they had met, Lei had never seen this side of the elderly man before.

"I don't believe it…..is this really Master Wang?" Lei wondered, too stunned to even search for an answer. "And the fact that he was able to withstand Revenant's power…is amazing…" the policeman added to his observation.

Revenant was about to respond to Wang's challenge, only for Yue, Rumi and Isaak to stand before him. The cultist was taken aback by their meddling.

"What is the meaning of this!?" Revenant demanded.

Yue smirked. "Just stand back and relax, Revenant. We will handle that old fool!" the Chinese girl said.

"Yeah, no way that dumb, old geezer could possibly be that strong! I mean, just look at him! The guys in the fighting branch are overreacting" Isaak pointed out, cracking his knuckles in the process.

"Then what you say we take him on, now!? I'm more than ready for a beatdown!" Rumi spoke up, feeling very confident with winning against Wang.

Yue already readied herself, and charged towards her former master head-on. "THIS IS IT, WANG JINREI! I WILL MAKE YOU SUFFER FOR THE HUMILIATIONS YOU HAVE PUT ME THROUGH!" she yelled.

The Chinese girl was joined by Isaak and Rumi, the three of them charging towards Wang together.

Taiga was completely caught off-guard by his comrades' behavior. "You fools! What are you doing!?" the Japanese man asked loudly.

So far, Wang had not made a move to attack the three. He was even about to avoid them until something happened. For some reason, Yue and her two friends stopped moving. The reason for that was because of some telepathic powers. And it was Revenant's doing. He was using his abilities to stop their movements.

"Hey! What's the big idea!?" Rumi demanded.

"Yeah! Release us! We're about to pummel that old fart!" Isaak joined in.

Revenant's glowing eyes only hinted to his dissatisfaction over their behavior. "Incompetent nincompoops! Have you three forgotten what I said to you during our journey to this island!? Potentially dangerous adversaries such as Wang Jinrei was mine to attack and fight! None of you are in any shape to best him!" the cultist rebuked them.

But Yue would have none of it. "Screw you! I never agreed to you taking all the glory of fighting him! Now, let go of me and back off before I….AAAAAARRRRRGHHHHHHHH!" Yue and her friends screamed in pain as Revenant tightened his grip all over them.

"Do not forget where you stand on the chain command, brats! I hold the power here!" Revenant said, his metallic hands clenching themselves. "With that said, I will make you all learn your place, as well as remind you what it means to disobey me!" the cultist added, causing more excruciating pain to the three fighters.

Wang could not stand and witness such torture. He had to do something. Despite, Yue possessing this grudge against him, Wang used his powerful impulses to create a shockwave. This shockwave managed to free them from Revenant's grip, yet they were still injured. Still, they were sent away from the field of battle, permitting the elderly man to have a clear path ahead of him.

With that taken care of, Wang proceeded to move towards the cultist. "There is no need to inflect harm upon others. The battle is just between you and me" the old master said, sounding much more serious than before.

"I find it hard why you just rescued your disgraced student and two strangers you barley even know. They were foolish enough to stand in our way. I see no reason for why you should hold onto such weak sympathies" Revenant said as he took his steps towards Wang.

The Chinese man narrowed his eyes. "Do not lecture me about sympathies, darkened one. Despite our disagreements, Hu Yue has never been a disgraced student. That is something only made up in your own twisted mind" Wang pointed out to him. He then started taking small steps towards the cultist. "It disturbs me to see how you can even treat your allies with such contempt. Did they not follow you all the way here to assist with your plans?" he then reminded his opponent.

"Allies is an overstatement, Wang Jinrei. These fools were only a means to an end" Revenant revealed, not caring about the fact that Taiga, Eliza and the others were near him. "All that I need are my devoted brothers and sisters. They will follow me anywhere, let alone die for my sake" he then revealed.

Eliza could no longer bear tolerating Revenant and his insults. Without even thinking, the vampire dashed towards the cultist, her fangs on full display.

"I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF KOWTOWING TO YOU! OUR AGREEMENT ENDS HERE!" Eliza screamed, preparing her powers to attack him

Unfortunately, Revenant had caught wind of her moves. He had even loaded a blast of dark energy on his right hand. Without delay, he fired it at Eliza. The young woman was too slow to avoid the attack, and she was sent flying. Clearly, it had wounded her deeply.

"I grow tired of these interferences! Do I have to kill you all to make you stay put!?" Revenant's anger could be seen through his gas mask. However, he noticed Taiga suddenly approach him. "What now, Taiga Miyagi?" he demanded an answer.

The young Japanese man was furious. "I was too blind to realize it, but I can see clearly now! Your goals have never been about this world's population. All this talk about summoning the Gods of Old….you just want to end this war in hopes of bringing them to life! Isn't that right!?" Taiga snapped at him.

The Karate fighter was even standing in his fighting position, his eyes fixed with determination. Somehow, Taiga had managed to realize how Revenant was pretty much a threat to this world as the Mishimas were. That's why he had gradually started to regret forming an alliance with the Acolytes of Pluton.

"I may not know how you intend on fulfilling these twisted goals of yours. But I will not let that happen, especially now that I've seen who you really are beneath this talk of peace from the shadows!" Taiga continued, challenging Revenant.

So far, Revenant had glanced at him nonchalantly. "I see. You finally show your true colors. Clearly, that means who wish to prevent me from reaching the Mishimas. Inconvenient, yet not surprising. Masahisa would have been so proud of you" he smugly responded to Taiga's challenge.

Anger could be seen in the young man's eyes. "You know nothing about my grandfather! Leave him out of this!" Taiga snapped.

Wang came to a realization, especially when it came to this young man's name. "This young man is the grandson of Masahisa Miyagi? Why, he was one of Heihachi's close friends at the Mishima Dojo, alongside Akinobu Kamiya. They were all close until poor Kazumi's death" the elderly man noted, starting to see slight resemblances between Taiga and his grandfather.

Dark energies began forming on Revenant's metallic hand. Clearly, he seemed to accept Taiga's challenge.

"Very well. Came at me then, foolish anarchist!" he dared his young opponent.

Yelling loudly, Taiga charged towards the cultist. He was determined to actually fight him. But amidst this running, he felt someone pierce through his stomach. He was too slow to notice that this had been Revenant's doing. His right metallic hand stretched out beyond Taiga's body.

"TAIGA!" Isaak, Rumi and Yue cried out in despair.

The Japanese man couldn't even move, his mouth starting to stream blood endlessly. As soon as Revenant pulled his hand out of Taiga's body, the Karate fighter fell down onto the ground. A deep and sadistic chuckle could be heard beyond Revenant's mask.

"The leading fighter of the Resistance reduced to a corpse. How embarrassing it must be" the cultist mocked Taiga's dignity.

But he soon felt a powerful burst of wind coming from behind. Revenent immediately turned around, knowing full well that it came from Wang. This time, the revered martial artist was filled with fury.

"This…has gone too far…." Wang muttered lowly, only to charge straight towards Revenant. "YOU WILL NOT TAKE AWAY ANYMORE LIVES!" the loud cry heralded his status as a strong warrior.

Wang and Revenant clashed elbows, creating a shockwave that sent any nearby fighters flying away. Clearly, the elderly man did not hold back his power and strength against the cultist. But Revenant was no weakling.

Each fighter tried to overpower the other, yet they seemed to fight this clash on equal footing.

"JUST GIVE UP, OLD FOOL! NO MATTER HOW STRONG YOU ARE, I WILL GET MY DREAMS FULFILLED BY KILLING THOSE MISHIMAS!" Revenant taunted his opponent.

Wang remained unmoved by such threats. "OVER MY DEAD BODY WILL THAT EVER HAPPEN!" the elderly man responded.

Feeling irritated, Revenant used his dark energies to create what appeared to be a forcefield. This was done to separate himself from Wang.

"As you wish!" Revenant said inside his forcefield, while his opponent stood on his guard. "If killing you is what it takes to fulfill my destiny, then so be it!" he said before dispelling the forcefield.

This resulted in a powerful blast, yet Wang covered himself with his strong arms. Still, he was sent a few feet away, no matter how hard he tried to fasten himself onto the ground. As soon as Wang move his arms, he could see Revenant heading straight to him. But this time, he was prepared.

Before Revenant knew it, Wang delivered a powerful blow to him on the stomach. When the revered master's handpalm touched the cultist's stomach, he was sent away flying.

"DAMNIT! WHAT IS WITH THIS OLD MAN!?" he wondered, only to snap when he saw Wang appearing in the air above him. He was preparing to land a kick.

"Feel my fury!" Wang openly declared before delivering the kick upon his opponent.

Revenant was sent crashing down towards the ground. To see Wang accomplish such stunned everyone that observed the fight.

"Gramps…..when did you gain such power?" Xiaoyu wondered, recalling not ever seeing this side of her teacher. Something hit in her head. "Is this something you've been carrying inside all along?" the Chinese girl felt more than intrigued to learn more about him.

Marshall couldn't help but to whistle in amazement. "Damn. For a man at his age, his agility sure is badass….." he admitted.

Baek had to chuckle when hearing him say that. "Well, that's Wang Jinrei for you. Hell, he may even be stronger than Heihachi" the Taekwondo master remarked.

"He is. Beneath that frail appearance lies a warrior of great valor" the voice came from Master Raven. She seemed to have read all files and information about the elderly man "In his prime, Wang Jinrei was one of the strongest martial artists in the Orient. He was undefeated, until he met his strongest challenge in the form of Jinpachi Mishima" the agent continued speaking.

Lei remembered the stories all too well. "That's true. But Master Wang and Jinpachi never became enemies. They developed a friendly rivalry based upon honor and respect towards one another" he recalled what Wang had told him personally.

Marshall had to look at Paul once he heard what Lei said. "Kind of reminds me of the rivalry between you and Kazuya, minus the fact that it's not a friendly one" he told his best friend.

"Don't even go there, Marshall" Paul replied back, not appreciating the comparison.

Even Baek was amused by this. "I sometimes wonder whether Hwoarang and Jin would benefit from having the same type of relationship" he thought.

But amidst these conversations, the ground suddenly started to shake. They all looked back to see whether it was Wang's doing. But it wasn't. The empowered fighter stood in silence as Revenant angrily emerged from the pile of boulders. Using his powers, the cultist floated in the air above his opponent. This time, his energies seemed much more malicious than before. Clearly, Wang's attack had managed to cause some level of harm upon him.

"DAMN YOU, WANG JINREI! I WILL NOT LET SOME DODDERING, OLD FOOL LIKE YOU STAND IN MY WAY ONCE AGAIN!" Revenant's anger was on full display for everyone to see.

However, Wang was unfazed by seeing it. He even shut his eyes in hopes of recalling something he had heard before. "No matter how hard I try, I still cannot grasp the reason why you desire the Mishimas' deaths so much. Regardless, I seem to have come to a conclusion" he said, his opponent still floating above.

"What conclusion!?" the cultist spat, anxious to rip his opponent to pieces.

Surprisingly, Wang opened his weary eyes and gazed up at Revenant. "You are no ordinary man. Indeed, you and I have met each other before. At the wedding of Heihachi Mishima and Kazumi Hachijo, I recognized meeting a certain relative there. And based upon the words he said, he held nothing but contempt towards not just Heihachi…..but even Kazumi as well" he spoke up, stunning those around the battleground.

While some of the fighters were confused, Lei and the two agents seemed to have gotten a clue.

"He means to say that this Revenant person…I see it now!" Lei exclaimed.

"Yes. I knew it was strange. But that would explain the reasons for him targeting both Heihachi and Kazuya" Raven spoke up.

Wang pointed a finger directly at his opponent. "Needless to say, I know who you are beneath your garb and mask. You are a clansman of the Hachijos….as well as…." Wang's words were interrupted by an angry Revenant diving at him.

"SHUUUUUT UUUUUUUUUUUUUPPPPPP!" the cultist yelled, unleashing all his energy upon Wang.

But the empowered fighter withstood it, and they clashed against each other once again. This time, Revenant was behaving more irrational and provocative than before. Wang's words seemed to have brought out the anger inside.

"Don't you ever dare linking me to that pathetic clan! I am nothing of their kind!" Revenant said through his mask.

"There is no sense in denying it, anymore! You are only trying to finish what Kazumi could not bring herself to. Is that not what she told you in a secret meeting before she carried out your orders?" Wang questioned while pushing his foe two feet away.

But Revenant was not done, and he responded by punching straight into the elderly man's stomach. That was also done out of anger at Wang's words.

"How! How do you even know all this!? You, a mere merchant who preaches false ideals about peace and harmony!?" the cultist demanded, starting to actually confirm Wang's assertions. He seemed to understand the reasons. "Of course. It's not only that witless whore, Kazumi! That pathetic pacifist Jinpachi Mishima! He must've assisted you with….." Revenant didn't get to finish the sentence as Wang delivered a powerful kick upon him.

The fury in Wang's face was pretty evident based upon the kick. "Never refer to my old friend as such! He was a man of honor!" he roared, watching as his foe was sent flying. However, he landed quickly on his feet. The Chinese man fixed his eyes upon him. "I know everything about the twisted magics you and your cult have been playing with. You are also responsible for Jinpachi's transformation into that hideous monster! As such, you are guilty of his death!" he revealed everything he knew.

As he stood and listened, Revenant chuckled evilly at Wang's accusation. "Foolish, old man. You already knew that beneath Hon-Maru lied a vengeful spirit that had been imprisoned by the Mishimas centuries ago. It only took a little "assistance" to bring it to life. The rest…..you know the story" he said, not carrying an ounce of remorse of what his order had done in the past.

No matter how many times Wang wanted to go all out on this sadistic man, he could not bring himself into doing that. After all, he was now putting his own life at risk by unleashing this kind of power. Wang was painfully aware that his frail body was no longer able to carry it as it had in the past.

"You seem a little troubled" Revenant remarked, moving his metallic hands. Clearly, he managed to read Wang's body language. "Up until now, I'd never understood how you are able to withstand my powers. Yes. I have learned everything about this charade of yours" the cultist revealed.

Wang stood his guard. "And what does that mean?" he asked his opponent.

"You think I don't know? As impressive as your power is, there is no way you will last long with that fragile body of yours!" Revenant mocked the venerated master. "Even now, I can sense how quicker your body weakens by trying to withstand this much pressure. In other words, you're only nearing your death" he continued with the verbal torture.

While Revenant stood and laughed sadistically, Wang took his time to observe those around him. He could see that among the many fighters, there was some who were deeply misguided and bore selfish intentions while others were goodhearted and bore desires to fight for righteous causes. Yet despite these differences, Wang knew that they had one thing in common: they deserved to escape from this island alive. That's what Wang had planned out when it came to this fight. He knew that he would not survive for much longer.

Closing his eyes, Wang thought about the promise he had made to Kazumi. "Kazumi. I must apologize for failing to uphold my vow to you. But even now, I realize that there are plenty of young and old souls who have this world's safety as their best interests" Wang thought as he was speaking to the deceased woman. He opened his eyes and managed to empower his entire body. "My frail bones will not take much longer. But I will use the last breath I have to give what these people needs most: hope. I hope to be seeing you, Jinpachi and Heihachi soon. Just wait a little longer" he told them.

That's right, Wang had begun to realize that Heihachi was now gone. He knew that Kazuya had defeated him. Still, Wang believed that because of those around him needing him most, Kazuya would be left to deal with Revenant.

Standing tall, Wang looked up to his foe with determined eyes. "Then I make my final stand here, butcher! Come at me! I dare you to attack with whatever strength you have!" the old master dared the cultist.

Levitating towards the desolate ground, Revenant prepared himself for the next round. "Very well. Then embrace your end, Wang Jinrei!" Revenant yelled as he charged towards the elderly man.

The two engaged in hand-to-hand combat, each of them trying to land most punches. But Revenant was growing weary of being wasted time by this fight. He could himself see how more tired Wang was getting as the minutes passed by.

That's why the cultist to do something so wicked. He began using his stranger powers. At first, Wang thought he was preparing to attack him, yet he could see something happening behind him. The several members of the Acolytes of Pluton who had accompanied their master all found their lives taken away. Wang could immediately see that this was Revenant's doing. And not only that, the masked man's dark energies grew increasingly powerful as the cultists died.

"You wicked monster….TO THINK YOU WOULD EVEN…" Wang began speaking up.

In response, Revenant only laughed out of mockery. "Are you showing concerns about your enemies' well-being? How laughable!" he mocked his opponent, the dark energies starting consuming him completely. "My brothers and sisters are sworn to assist me whenever I call upon them for it! For what reason would I have to mourn their loss? After all, their lives are being sacrificed for the greater good!" Revenant pointed out.

Wang could no longer tolerate such selfish cruelty. Without even thinking, he charged towards his opponent. Sadly, this seemed to be what Revenant had in mind. As the Chinese man charged at the cultist, a black orb had been generated on his right hand. He knew how to finish this fight.

"You have left yourself…WIDE OPEEEEEEEENNNNN!" Revenant screamed out of ecstasy as he did the most heinous one could have ever done.

Wang stopped moving, as he could feel something pierce his chest. It was Revenant's metallic hand. But in the process, a dark burst of energy explodes into the elderly man's back. Little by little, Wang felt his entire organs weaken by the minute, not just his heart.

This very scene had caused nothing but surprises and horrors in the eyes of the nearby fighters. But among them, Xiaoyu was the one most affected by this scene.

"GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMPSSSSSS!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, watching as Revenant completely destroyed her teacher's body on the inside.

Wang felt his power fading away, and he returned to being nothing more than a frail old man nearing death itself. Before he himself knew it, Wang fell onto the hard ground, his mouth filled with blood from his mouth and the opening on his chest. He was now at death's door.

On the other hand, Revenant stood there, laughing out loud like any psychotic sadist would. He had even taken notice of some of the nearby fighters, who had gradually started getting up on their feet. Somehow, seeing Wang's execution had filled them with a sense of hope…as well as anger.

"DO YOU SEE IT NOW, WEAKLINGS!? THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS TO ANYONE WHO DARES STANDING IN MY WAY! NOW, NO ONE WILL DENY MY DESTINY TO DESTROY THE MISHIMAS!" Revenant said, the cultist even starting levitating above the harsh ground. "BUT FEAR NOT! ONCE THE MISHIMAS HAVE BEEN SLAYED…I WILL COME FOR EACH OF YOU NEXT! SO ENJOY WHATEVER FINAL MOMENTS YOU HAVE LEFT! BECAUSE THEY WILL BE YOUR LAST!" the cultist said and laughed as he flew down towards the crater.

Wang felt himself getting weaker, and he knew that he would soon leave the world of the living. But amidst these final moments, Xiaoyu had managed to come over at his side. But she was not alone, as Alisa, Asuka, Lei, Yoshimitsu, Rodeo and many more were close as well. A smile crept beneath his long beard.

"Xiaoyu…..you're here…as well as you, my good friends…." Wang spoke weakly, only to cough at the end of his sentence.

"Gramps! Please don't speak! I beg of you!" Xiaoyu cried, her eyes filled with tears.

She was not alone, as many other fighters had also started showing tears. Alisa, despite being an android, had real tears running across her cheeks. Tears ran down underneath Raven's sunglasses. And Josie was already breaking apart emotionally, and she leaned onto Miguel for support. Surprisingly, the usually aggressive Spaniard let her do that. Clearly, everyone was in deep sadness to see that a great fighter such as Wang Jinrei couldn't even stand up against Revenant.

"Master Wang…." Lei spoke up, the policeman fighting back tears to look into the dying master's eyes. "We're sorry that we weren't strong enough….if not for us then you would've still…." Lei stopped speaking once he could feel the hand of Wang touching his lap. This stunned him.

"No, Lei Wulong….you are not to blame for this…none of you sitting here are….." Wang revealed to them, coughing once more. Despite his condition, Wang was still smiling as if he was at peace with himself. "Clearly…..I seemed to have underestimated Revenant…but that does not mean he is unbeatable. One day….he will fall…I have already foreseen it…" he said.

"Gramps…please…..don't die!" Xiaoyu begged of him, cluthing her hands onto her knees. "There's so many things I'd wish to take back…including the mistakes I've done…..as well as ignored your advice…" she rebealed through her sobbing.

Wang could not help but to chuckle weakly at his student's words. "Oh no, Xiaoyu. There is nothing for you to take back…sometimes…..such independence is to be expected from my students….I am not scorning you for such, little one" he revealed to her.

"Revered master….." Master Raven suddenly spoke up, her voice as low as she could possibly sound. "I know this may be to late for me to say…..but on behalf of the United Nations….I thank you for your service in protecting humanity against the darkness…" she spoke out of gratitude towards him.

"I see…..you have finally read my mind. I applaud you, young one" Wang commended Master Raven.

"What do you mean by that?" Yoshimitsu was curious to what this elderly man's endgame was.

Wang realized that since he was at death's door, these fighters deserved to know what final words he had for them. After all, they would be entrusted with the future of the world.

"Listen well, young ones. My time on this world is almost up….but for you…..it is only the beginning. No matter what happens from now on…..there will be an end to this crisis. The end is not far beyond the horizon" Wang revealed to them all, still smiling. "That is why I am now willing to entrust the safety of this world….to you all. No matter how each of you differs when it comes to goals…..I am confident that all of you desire the protect and safeguard it…..such is how I see the fate of this world" he added.

Xiaoyu was still crying, the poor girl unable to hold back the anguish that had been formed into her body. Wang could see it and he looked over to see his distraught student.

"Have no fear, Xiaoyu…" Wang called out to her, knowing how close they were as student and teacher. They were also distant relatives, all the more reason for why this parting was so personal between the two of them. "No matter strong the darkness is…never forsake the light. For it is that light…who will lead you to your future…." he went on reminding her about some of his teachings.

While still teary, Xiaoyu could barely nod her head weakly. In that way, she confirmed to her dying master how she understood his wisdom.

Wang, feeling his life slipping away, knew that there remained only thing left to do. "I can see Jinpachi and the others calling to me. But they can wait a little longer….." Wang spoke, all of a sudden unleashing the remaining powers that he had left. "This will be my final gift to you, young ones. My last breath will be spent on erasing all the pain and nightmares Revenant has caused upon you. Use it to get off this island and flee to whatever places you call home. Spend time with whatever loved ones you have left. And when the time comes…..each of you will know what to do. Until we meet again in the afterlife….a fond farewell to you…..may fortune and hope me on your side" those were the final words of revered master Wang Jinrei before his spirits passed on to the next realm.

What everyone had noticed was that their injuries from whatever fights they had previously been in, were completely healed. Furthermore, Revenant's influence was completely gone. Still, the sadness over the loss of a great fighter such as Wang remained.

Xiaoyu cried over her late teacher's corpse, still feeling the hurt consume her. Someone was sitting beside her, even attempting to comfort Xiaoyu from her loss. To the Chinese girl's surprise, it was Asuka's doing. The same girl that she had been fighting and clashing against throughout this time…..was now offering her sympathy and compassion. Then again, Xiaoyu was not the only one to cry for the loss of Wang.

"Master Wang…." Lei fought tears in order to stand tall, but it was no use.

"Damnit!" Rodeo was also getting a little teary. This took him back to a mission in Nevada, when he had lost his comrades due to Revenant's magics. "That son of a bitch…I hope either Heihachi or Kazuya really kills him!" he then thought, realizing that the cultist was now heading down towards the crater.

Shaheen had been very calm, even kneeling down towards the lifeless body of Wang. Even he had been shattered by the killing of this venerated master.

"It appears that I misjudged your intentions, Wang Jinrei. As such, I humbly accept my responsibility. And I vow to continue in safeguarding this world" he had spoken with his eyes closed. He suddenly opened them. "May Allah protect your spirit. A champion like you deserve such honor in the afterlife" he then gave him his blessings.

As the large group gathered around to grieve for Wang, they failed to notice how the area around them had started to feel unstable. This was most likely due to what was happening in the crater of the volcano.

---

Back in the crater of Puʻu ʻŌʻō

Ever since Kazuya had defeated his father and thrown him down the lava, he had surprisingly been silent for the many hours. Apparently, he was in deep thought over the recent events that had led up to him finally accomplishing his goal. Still, Kazuya remained calm.

However, the calm didn't last long. Kazuya could feel someone appearing towards him from behind. Without even looking behind, he moved aside, thus dodging a bolt of dark energy. The Mishima's thinking was interrupted and he looked over his shoulder to see who had attempted to attack him.

"I was wondering when you would show up" Kazuya spoke nonchalantly at the sight of Revenant standing a few distances behind him on the top of a rock.

Kazuya didn't seem to be surprised at the sight of the cultist in this hellish environment. An evil chuckle could be heard coming from behind Revenant's mask.

"Aw, did I miss the part where you threw your dear father off the cliff? How embarrassing. I was so hoping to see Heihachi's death with my own eyes" he mockingly said, croaking his metallic hands. "But what does that matter? That old man was a weakling, anyway. But you on the other hand" he suddenly started displaying his dark energies for Kazuya to see.

Still, Kazuya was hardly intimidated. He even turned around and began displaying parts of his own demonic powers.

"Yes. You are much more powerful to be left alive. More so than that imbecile Heihachi. Therefore, I will not rest until your demise has become a reality!" Revenant expressed his desire to kill Kazuya.

The demonic rage was unleashed. "Damn fool…..you understand nothing….." Kazuya said, only to dash into the air, the power of the Devil Gene on full display once again. "YOU ARE THE ONE WHO WILL DIE!" he then yelled, diving towards his foe.

Kazuya tried to force him to the ground, but Revenant was too quick. Delivering a kick on the demonic human, Kazuya was sent flying into the air. But with wings, this was nothing. The Mishima then proceeded to fire a heat ray from his Evil Eye towards the cultist. Revenant dodged getting hit, yet the heat ray managed to create boulders large enough to be used to attack his foe. Using his telepathy, Revenant sent one such boulder up towards Kazuya, who easily crushed it.

But Kazuya knew this was just a trick. Amidst the dust that emerged from his destroying the boulder, Revenant appeared. The two engaged in a serious hand-to-hand combat in the air. As they each tried punching each other, their fists clashed, creating an impact that separated the two dark fighters from each other.

Kazuya and Revenant gradually levitated towards the hellish ground beneath them. For some reason, the area had started to become more chaotic than before. In other words, it looked quite unstable. Yet neither of the men seemed to care about the place's condition.

"I see that you arrived here very late" Kazuya said as he descended upon the ground. He couldn't help but to smirk. "Clearly, Wang Jinrei was too much for you to handle. That explains the delay" he spoke up, mocking his opponent.

Yes, Kazuya had himself taken notice of Wang fighting Revenant, let alone felt his death. Because of the Devil Gene, let alone how Kazuya shared many similarities with Heihachi, relations between him and Wang had been mostly strained. Therefore, Kazuya didn't mourn his loss.

The eyes on Revenant's mask started glowing. "Don't try putting your failures upon me! I killed that old fool, plain and simple" he revealed, not showing an ounce of regret. He directed his wrath towards Kazuya. "And with him gone, and you having taken care of Heihachi, you are the only one left standing. Once I've finished, none shall oppose the return of the Gods of Old!" the cultist declared.

In response, Kazuya chuckled at what he perceived as Revenant's delusional beliefs. "There is nothing more fun than to listen to the rantings of a deluded prophet! And by the way, I would like to pass on a message to these Gods of Old. Tell them I said: go to hell!" he ridiculed Revenant.

"Enough of these games! You will be buried here in the lava, just like your father!" Revenant unleashed his wrath upon Kazuya.

But Kazuya was not the one to withhold his own wrath. As such, the two dark fighters began their second duel to the death. This time, there would be no tricks pulled from the likes of Heihachi. This only meant they were free to do whatever it took to kill each other.

"You are nothing but talk!" Kazuya mocked his opponent after kicking him.

But the cultist quickly landed on his feet. "Shut up and die, you imp!" Revenant spat back as he charged his devilish foe.

Kazuya responded by performing his powerful Dorya move, thus knocking the cultist off balance. Despite how had it felt, Revenant was still not giving up.

"No! I refuse to accept it! I refuse to be defeated by the likes of you!" Revenant yelled, suddenly starting to float in the air. Kazuya followed his move. For some reason, the cultist seemed very determined to only finish this fight right now. "You will not become an obstacle to my plans once again, Kazuya Mishima! I curse upon the day your mother ever birthed you! For that, I will end your misery, once and for all!" he declared, gathering a large dark orb between his metallic hands.

Kazuya, already enraged at hearing him insulting his late mother, started loading a powerful death ray from his Evil Eye. He was also keen on settling the score between them once and for all. They were unable to do so at the Millennium Tower. But here, they would.

"PREPARE YOURSELF, KAZUYA MISHIMA! YOU WILL JOIN YOUR MOTHER AND FATHER SOON ENOUGH! TRY DODGING THIS BALL IF YOU WISH! I STILL HAVE ENOUGH ENERGY TO THROW THOUSANDS AT YOU!" Revenant taunted his opponent.

"SHUT UP! I WILL SEND YOU STRAIGHT TO HELL!" Kazuya roared back.

Once they felt that their attacks were prepared, each fighter launched themselves at each other.

"DIE, YOU DISGRACED BASTARD!" Revenant screamed.

"PERISH IN THE FIRES OF HELLL!" Kazuya screamed back.

The moment their attacks clashed, a huge shockwave was created in the area. Unfortunately, this stirred up the volcanic pool. The impact was so great that pillars of fire emerged upwards. But that was not just it. It didn't take long before the entire lake of lava was affected by the impact as well. Needless to say, the crater of Puʻu ʻŌʻō was now getting ready for an volcanic eruption. The level of the lake raised rapidly.

Up at the top, the group around the dying Wang Jinrei were in for a terrifying view. The pillar of fire brought giant molten rocks in the air. They soon rained upon the nearby environment like meteorites. And with this pillar came eruptions of lava flowing from what was previously a deep crater. The amount of lava seemed endless and it ran from all corners of the opening.

In time, rivers of lava ran either down to the ocean or through the nearby Kahaualeʻa Nature Reserve. And the eruption still continued filling them, not to mention the thick layers of smog it brought to the air. Needless to say, the island was becoming dangerous for anyone to be on.

As for the group who had preciously gathered, they had been split into smaller groups. The eruption of lava had forced them to escape to whatever direction they felt was the safest.

In a ship belonging to the G Corp, Kazuya's closest associates had fled their before even Revenant and his lackeys had arrived. So far, they had been watching the eruption with worries all over their faces.

"Please don't say this is true…" Anna begged onto Bruce, who was trying to get a look at things through a pair of binoculars. "Do you see Kazuya yet!?" the brunette asked him.

"I'm trying my best to see him, so shut up!" Bruce responded, only to realize how difficult it was for him to even see things clearly due to the smog. "Shit! This goddamn smog is making it impossible to spot Kazuya! I can't see anything!" he then complained.

Anna rolled her eyes at him in return. "Then try harder! We have to verify whether he's dead or not!" she rebuked him.

JACK-7 suddenly looked up to the skies, his sensors picking up something. Bruce and Anna noticed this and wondered why.

"Incoming arrival at the ship. I repeat, incoming arrival at the ship" JACK-7 announced, still looking up in the air.

Bruce immediately gazed up with his binoculars to see who it was, but it was too late. Before everyone knew it, Kazuya landed straight before his two closest friends. He was no longer in his devil form. Still, they could tell how beaten he was by just looking at his bruised and battered body.

"KAZUYA!" Bruce and Anna said in unison, completely caught off-guard by his arrival.

Kazuya panted deeply, slowly getting up to his feet. His associates were all astonished by his sudden arrival, yet they knew what it meant.

"Did you….is Heihachi…" Anna stammered.

The Mishima responded by nodding his head weakly at her and Bruce. "It's done…...he's dead" Kazuya revealed between his breathing.

Both associates felt relieved at hearing this, especially Bruce. "Fuck yeah! Finally, that old cocksucker's gone! I'd been waiting to hear this since the incident at the Millennium Tower!" the Kickboxer proudly exclaimed.

But Anna was baffled by her cohort's. "How can you act this way when it wasn't you who ended his life!?" she sternly pointed out to him.

"So? I was rooting for Kazuya throughout the entire time! Isn't that right…." Bruce stopped speaking as he and Anna could see their superior approach them.

But as he walked, Kazuya suddenly fell down on his feet, only to be caught by his two friends. Clearly, his entire body was tired from all the fighting, not to mention that he had narrowly escaped getting caught in a volcano eruption. Still, Kazuya was alive and breathing. He even possessed enough strength to talk.

"Bruce…..Anna….." both associates were puzzled by the soft voice coming from their superior. From what they could see, his facial expression was no longer that of a cold-hearted killer. Rather, it was that of a grateful leader. "Thank you…..for always being at my side….I am eternally grateful for that" Kazuya then uttered out, his mind and body slowly getting exhausted by the minute.

The two associates smiled, realizing how they had been through so much together. Sure, Kazuya was never the type of person to open up towards individuals, but he at least possessed some decency when it came to his friends. They were in this together, and would always be.

"Soldiers! Get the boss to the medics. He'll need treatment this instant" Bruce commanded several of the soldiers stationed onboard.

The pair of soldiers took hold of Kazuya and saluted before their commander. "YESSIR!" they responded, immediately taking Kazuya below deck.

Bruce then looked to several other soldiers that were with them. "And as for you! Make a call to all squadrons still on the island. Tell them that we're pulling back and leaving Hawaii. We'll sail back to HQ!" he ordered them.

"Right away, sir!" one of them replied.

Anna found herself smirking as a thought crossed into her mind. "Well, this calls for a celebration I suppose. After all, it appears that victory over this war will be on our side" she suggested.

"For once, I agree with you, Anna. But we'll take this back at HQ when Kazuya's back to normal. But for now, let him recuperate in peace" Bruce spoke in agreement of Anna.

The two associates then ventured below deck.

Lucky Chloe, who sat not far from, had started to realize something. The teenage girl had been the G Corp's poster girl for quite some time. But in those times, she had started to learn more about this conglomerate, let alone their fair share of transgressions. Looking at Gigas, Chloe couldn't help but to wonder whether Leo and Katarina had been right, that she had only fooled herself into believing the G Corp was fighting for a just cause.

"No…..I don't believe it" Chloe stammered, suddenly picture a more positive outcome of this event. "Now that the old goat's dead…..it means we won the war. Yeah, that's right. No way that the boss wants to continue the war effort. Everything's fine now" the blondie said.

Sadly, Chloe seemed to be in some form of denial. She was also oblivious to her superior's hunger for world domination. But then again, Kazuya was her employer, and because of the contract, she would still pour millions of dollars thanks to the partnership.

Back on the island, the various groups of fighters that had been formed in wake of the eruption struggled to find their way. Near the Malama-Ki Forest Reserve, a group consisting of Rodeo, King, Bob, Marduk, Julia, Michelle, Paul, Eddy, Katarina and Christie was now having their own discussion in wake of this disaster.

"This island ain't safe anymore. We gotta get off this piece of dirt fast" Paul said, noticing how the skies darkened with ashes.

"The only question is how we do that. No way I'm swimming all the way back to the USA" Bob declared.

"Settle down. I've already arranged for our trip" Rodeo calmed them down, tapping on his communication device.

"What do you mean by that?" Marduk asked, feeling confused.

"I think he means by this" Julia said, watching as a transport helicopter was landing by the shores.

But in the ocean, a large carrier of the US Navy was docked far away. Rodeo smiled as he waved his arms at the pilots sitting inside this large vehicle.

"Woah….how long has that carrier been there?" Marshall asked out loud.

"I made a call to HQ to dispatch a ship in case of an emergency. And given the circumstances, this just seemed right. Both the Zaibatsu and the G Corp have pulled their armies back regardless of this situation" Rodeo informed them.

One by one, they got onboard the helicopter. As soon as it took to the air, the group was given a view of the volcanic mess that had appeared on the island. But as the helicopter headed for the lone carrier, Rodeo felt it was time to ask these fighters about where they would go next.

"Alright. Since all of you will be joining me on the carrier, I need to know where you will be going next. Is there some of you whose destination is not the USA? I know that these fives' destination is the same as mine" he asked while looking at Paul, Marshall, Bob and the Chang-duo.

King, Marduk and the three Brazilians raised their hands in response to Rodeo's question.

"Marduk and I will be heading back to Mexico. Still, we are more than happy to accompany you to the US. All that we want is to reach the Americas" King revealed.

Michelle smiled at hearing this. "So you're going to Mexico? Then you should join me and Julia. We live in Arizona, so we'll even accompany you to the border" the Native American woman told them.

Despite wearing a mask, those around him could that King was smiling. "Very well. Then we shall do it. And thank you for the offer" the luchador was appreciative.

Eddy stepped forward. "Me and my friends need to return to Brazil this instant. The reason why I say this is because there's an upcoming funeral that we need to attend" the Capoeira fighter spoke up.

"That's right. That's why it's imperative that we reach home this instant" Katarina said.

Christie felt somewhat confused by the sudden attitude happening with her friend. "But Katarina what about your father? Didn't you say that you wouldn't leave without…." Christie felt a gentle touch on her left shoulder.

Katarina smiled at her friend. "That's true. But plans changed, moça. The whole battle with that crazy cultist….let alone watching that old velhote die…..made me almost forget about him" she told Christie, the sound of her voice becoming more personal. "I still haven't given up on my goal to get my papai back. But for now, I am only happy to know that he's still alive…as much as it pains me to see what he's become…" she went on.

Christie smiled at her. "I see. It's just like Wang Jinrei said. We will define the future on our own. That means you'll still gonna save your father someday. But don't worry, you're not alone this time. Me and Eddy are with you" she insited.

"I know, Christie. Thank you for being the only friend I'd ever have" Katarina spoke, some tears seen running from her eyes. She was warmly embraced in a hug by Christie, whom Katarina happily returned.

The people around them smiled at seeing how there existed some level of hope, despite everything they had witnessed so far.

"Hey, Gordo" Eddy looked at Rodeo, the soldier facing him with a supportive expression. "If you want to, I could convince HQ to give you and your friends a lift to Panama City. We will even book a flight for you to Rio from there" he come up with his offer.

While surprised by this offer at first, Eddy humbly decided to accept his offer.

"Very well. If that's possibly, then we'll take it. We greatly appreciate your offer, Rodeo" Eddy expressed his gratitude to the American soldier.

"Don't mention it. At this rate, I can tell that all of us just wanna go home and rest. We all deserve that, especially after everything we've been through" Rodeo told him, to which Eddy agreed with.

Back on the island, Lei was carrying the lifeless corpse of Wang while in the company of Xiaoyu and Asuka. They had been separated by the main group, yet still struggled their way through the Kalapana Trail. Alisa had been with them, yet she had taken the opportunity to scout ahead the area for any of the other members of the group. Still, they had no idea how they would get off this island. They were taking great caution, seeing as lava were still running down from the volcano.

Right now, they were taking a break from the wandering.

"Alright. The Holei Sea Arch should be not far away from here" Lei said while carrying Wang's body. "But I don't think there's no way off that place" he added, yet he noticed how much the girls were not feeling talkative right now. Lei couldn't blame them.

Xiaoyu was still in tears over the situation. Wang was gone, yet it was difficult for the Chinese girl to even accept that.

"I've never felt so lost before…." Xiaoyu sobbed, facing down as tears fell.

Before Lei could even say something in an attempt to comfort Xiaoyu, Asuka was already way ahead of him. The young brunette set near Xiaoyu, putting her handpalms over the Chinese girl's hands. From the looks of it, Asuka was very sympathetic to Xiaoyu's loss.

"It's alright to feel that way. I can't even imagine the kind of pain you must be going through right now" Asuka said, with the teary Xiaoyu finally looking at her. For some reason, Asuka seemed pretty embarrassed to say this, yet she did it anyway. "Look, I know that in the past, I have perhaps gone too far with the antagonization of you. Because beneath it all, you're actually a very friendly girl. That's why I just wanna come clean and say sorry…..for all the bad things I've said about you" she apologized.

For some reason, the sadness on Xiaoyu's face had slowly started to fade away. While tears still ran across her cheeks, they were not there out of sadness. Rather, it was something else.

"It's okay…" Xiaoyu sniffed, only to immediately embrace Asuka in a tight hug. As surprised as the Japanese girl was about this, she warmly accepted the hug and returned it. "I've been a pretty much a bitch myself to you…so I'm sorry….I really didn't mean to be so rude to you" she then apologized for her own bad behavior.

Lei watched from the sidelines and smiled. He realized how these two girls, who had gotten to know each other on a rough patch, was gradually starting to develop a friendship between them. All the bad things they had said to one another, they were each regretting it. And clearly, the death of Wang had shattered Xiaoyu. Asuka, who was surprisingly an empathic person, was not the type of girl to use such loss as a means of degrading her further.

"Let's hold on together for now" Lei said as he looked at the corpse of Wang before them. "Master Wang may be gone….but we will not part ways with him like this. In fact….de deserves to be buried where the strongest warriors rest. Yes, that's why I'm still carrying his body" Lei then revealed.

Xiaoyu shed a tear. "He always told me how he'd wanted to be buried at his favorite spot. The place he used to meditate at in the morning, when he sun shines upon the mountains. That's where he deserves to be buried" she said.

Lei nodded his head weakly in reply. "Of course. And that's why I'm going to China. I assume you both want to come with me" the police officer asked, yet he could see how determined they were to accompany him to China. "Very well. Let's get moving before something else…." he was interrupted when he could hear the voice of several soldiers from behind.

Looking behind, they could see what appeared to be a squadron of the Tekken Force. These were probably remnants of the armies that had clashed on the island. And right now, they had the trio in sight.

"Enemy targets spotted! Lock and load!" their commander said as he caught a glimpse of them.

"It's the Tekken Force!" Asuka called out.

"Damnit! Why are those bastards still doing here!?" Lei asked as he started carrying Wang's body. "Come on, girls! We gotta get a move on!" he said to them.

"But we're at a dead end. Is there a way past the Holei Sea Arch!?" Xiaoyu called out.

Lei had already begun moving, with the two girls following him. "Worry about that later! Right now, we need to move before we become…" Lei was suddenly forced to stop as he could see someone blocking their path. "Dead meat…" he finally finished the sentence.

Standing before them was Feng Wei. The Chinese Kenpo master seemed just as serious and iron-willed as he was known to be. His dragon-like eyes only hinted to the power he carried within his soul. The trio even noticed Feng taking steps towards them.

"Feng Wei…." Lei spat out the name in disgust. The policeman even reached for his handgun and aimed it at Feng. "What do you want with us!? Stand back!" he added to his distress.

Despite having a gun pointed at him, Feng showed no symptoms of fear. He proceeded to walk towards the trio.

Asuka was really fired up, even standing in her fighting position. "You son of a bitch…" she cursed, feeling more tempted to just punch the lights of Feng. "Have you come to finish me off, personally!? Well, here I am! Come at me, you ugly piece of…" the Japanese teenager stopped as she and her friends noticed Feng walking past them.

The trio was dumbfounded. Had Feng been ignoring them the entire time? Even so, the Kenpo master was now focusing his attention towards the approaching Tekken Force squadron. But after walking a few feet away from the trio, he stopped. Lei and the girls didn't know why he was doing that.

"Go" they were stunned as they heard that very word come out of Feng's mouth. "Go to the arch while you still can. Your allies in the UN seems to have a transportation waiting for you there. Leave those Zaibatsu-lapdogs to me" Feng then informed them.

While Xiaoyu didn't necessarily have any type of reaction besides astonishment, Lei and Asuka were furious at his words.

"What the hell are you even saying…." Lei uttered out, only to let his anger get the best of him. "YOU THINK THAT AFTER EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE, YOU EXPECT ME TO JUST FORGET YOUR TRANSGRESSIONS UPON THE DOJOS ACROSS THE ORIENT!?" he demanded an answer out of him.

"THAT'S RIGHT! AND YOU'VE GOT SOME BALLS PLAYING THAT CHIVALRY-BULLCRAP WITH ME! MY DAD'S SUFFERING FROM PTSD BECAUSE OF YOU!" Asuka yelled at him.

Xiaoyu tried to intervene. "Listen! I don't know what kind of grudges you carry towards him, but he's now offering us to escape! Please, let's heed his advice and head for the arch. If what he says is true, then that means Alisa must've found those two agents and gotten some help" the Chinese girl reasoned with them.

Neither Lei nor Asuka seemed to be willing to do that, given how they each carried a grudge against Feng for what he had done in the past.

"The girl speaks with great wisdom compared to the two of you" Feng's voice made both Lei and Asuka turn their gazes at him. "Listen, Super Cop. Kazama brat. I have no obligation to save you. And I have no desire to ask for your forgiveness. All that you need to know, is that the only reason I am willing to take on these and allowing you to escape….is because of Wang Jinrei" Feng revealed, even looking over his shoulder to see the corpse of Wang.

Xiaoyu was surprised, yet she wondered whether this man and her late teacher had met sometime in the past. Asuka and Lei were having similar questions in their mind.

"He gave up his life fighting for us all…..let alone die a great warrior to the very end. It is therefore not in my place to let his body rot on this hellish island. He deserves a proper burial, one worthy for warriors like him" Feng revealed, speaking so fondly of the late martial artist. "So go now. Give the revered laoshi the burial he has earned. If you fail, not even I will ever forgive you" he then told them.

Hearing this caused Asuka's anger to rise. "Now you listen to me, you hypocritical motherf…." Asuka was stopped when Feng suddenly stomped on the ground.

The trio were caught off-guard as a crack was formed between them and the Chinese Kenpo master. As such, they were separated. Feng started walking towards the Tekken Force squadron.

"Do not make me repeat myself! Leave this island, and make sure Wang Jinrei is given the rest he deserves!" Feng declared, only to charged towards the enemy group with the cry of a warrior.

The trio, realizing how determined Feng was to help them escape, so no other options. Xiaoyu was the first to make a run for it. Cursing themselves, Asuka and Lei followed suit. Admittedly, this was embarrassing. But given the circumstances, they were willing to set aside the grudges. Escaping the island was all that mattered.

Once the trio reached the arch, they could see Alisa emerge up, yet she was being accompanied by what appeared to be a stealth plane. This clearly belonged to the UN. The backdoor opened and they saw both Master Raven and Raven standing there, accompanied by Baek, Yoshimitsu, Hwoarang and Shuwawei. One by one, Alisa carried them all into the hypersonic plane. It then took off, leaving the island behind in a jiffy.

Meanwhile, a third main group had managed to flee north to the town of Hilo. They had moved rather fast, given that the lava had already moved through the forest reserves. It was the group consisting of Shaheen, Zafina, Lili, Steve, Miguel, Leo and Josie. For now, Lili seemed to be the self-appointed leader, yet Shaheen and Steve seemed more than willing to take on the role.

For now, they seemed to be moving towards the nearby airport at Hilo. Apparently, Lili seemed to have a solution.

"So let me get this straight" Lili said as they walked through the empty streets of Hilo. "That Yokozuna wandered on his own way north all by himself?" she asked them about Ganryu.

Steve shrugged his shoulders. "Well, he did say he owned a chankonabe stable in Honolulu. I guess he aims to swim his way over there" the British boxer answered.

Miguel had to laugh in hearing this. "Tch, estúpido idiota. He'll only end getting eaten by the sharks or orcas. But it's his choice" the Spaniard said.

"I do not know where the other members of L'ordine went off to. Either way, that order has now been disbanded. I am no longer bound to follow Claudio Serafino" Zafina stated, clutching her left arm.

Shaheen turned around and looked at her. "Has your injury fully healed yet?" he asked her, only to receive a cold shoulder by the Egyptian woman. He sighed out of annoyance. "I guess that would be a no" he spoke up.

"Do not speak to me as if we are friends, Shaheen. Flattery will get you nowhere" Zafina sternly told him.

Deciding to change the subject, Leo decided to speak up. "And then there's those leaders of the Resistance. I never saw where they went. Clearly, they disappeared when before Wang Jinrei was slain" the German girl sounded very disheartened at the end of her words.

Josie had to shed a tear. "I really can't believe the way he died. To be murdered in such a cruel manner…." Josie felt her spirits getting weaker. But all that changed once she could feel a touch coming from Miguel, as he put his right arm around her. "Hey…..what's the big…" she tried asking him.

"Calmate, Josie. Life's not always black and white. Seeing death up close will change you forever" Miguel spoke, surprisingly sounding softer than before. "Having witnessed it before…...I can attest to it. Still…..there is always a light in the darkness that is always there for you when you need it most" he went on.

The Filipina was stunned by Miguel's behavior. How did he suddenly get this sympathetic? Eventually, Josie seemed to find an answer. Perhaps observing Wang's murder had only reminded Miguel about the loss of his sister. Piecing these puzzles together, Josie smiled at the Spaniard. In fact, she even leaned onto him as they walked together.

Miguel was surprised, yet he couldn't bring himself to shove Josie away. In fact, having her this close somehow made him feel calm.

"You know something? I always knew you were a good man beneath that rage of yours" Josie remarked with a teasing grin directed at Miguel.

The Spaniard chuckled in return. "I know that. And you were a strong girl on the inside despite being a crybaby on the inside" he told her, to which Josie giggled at him.

In time, the group reached the airport. Since the fence was broken, they could walk straight into the airstrip. There was nobody standing there, except for a cargo plane carrying the emblem of the Mishima Zaibatsu. Lili felt delighted as she ran straight to it.

"Magnifique! He succeeded in landing here just as I asked him to!" Lili exclaimed with happiness.

"Hold on, isn't that the cargo plane we flew with?" Leo asked.

"It looks like it. But who could possibly be piloting it?" Steve wondered who it was that piloted the plane.

Steve and his friends were given an answer once the cargo plane's bay door opening. Out of it came a person they had not been expecting to see on the journey. Lili, however, was not surprised.

"You're kidding me….." Steve was baffled.

Believe it or not, Lili's butler Sebastian emerged out of the cargo plane to greet them personally.

"Nous saluons le retour, Madame Lili!" Sebastian greeted his young mistress in French, only to notice the others as well. "And to you as well, friends of Madame Lili" the butler greeted them.

"Sebastian! Just the face I was so hoping to see again!" Lili exclaimed, treating him with so much affection. "I must say, your flying skills are admirable" she remarked.

Sebastian only bowed formally in return. "Please, madame. You flatter me" he responded.

"I see. So while we were all busy, he's been waiting in this plane for us?" Josie asked Lili.

She flipped her blonde hair in return. "Precisely. Obvously the Tekken Force would not get suspicious of one of their own cargo planes landing on this airstrip, so I ordered Sebastian to stay here in case of any emergency. And lucky, my assumptions turned out to be correct" Lili remarked, looking over her shoulder to see the effects of the eruption. "Let's just get onboard and leave this island quickly. The sooner we're out of reach, the safer we are" she told them all.

Knowing how true she was, the group got onboard. Sebastian immediately closed the bay door and be started piloting the plane. In a few seconds, they were off the island and out of the smog.

With this, Lili began asking her friends what they would do next. It was clear to her that they all wanted to go home. That's why Sebastian was willing to land at the different countries to drop them off home. And yes, Josie, Zafina and Shaheen would be given a lift to the Philippines, Egypt and Saudi-Arabia respectively before heading back to Europe.

The plane would land in Côte d'Azur airport outside Nice, France. Then, they would each go their separate ways. But along the journey, they kept thinking about the words Wang had told them before he died. He was right to say that the war was far from over. Conflict would return eventually. It was only a matter of time when.

But for now, every fighter that had participated in the King of Iron Fist Tournament 7 and its aftermath just wanted to go home. They had already had enough adventures for now.

The final clash on Hawaii, was officially ended. Kazuya had emerged victorious, yet the entire world was still uncertain about would happen next. Only time would tell.

To be continued…